Man Jailed In Killing Of Florida Deputy

September 26, 1986|By Laurin Sellers and Ron Patrizio of The Sentinel Staff

VERO BEACH — An ex-convict accused of gunning down an Indian River County deputy sheriff was in custody Thursday in Vero Beach after he was captured Wednesday night after getting off a bus in Albany, Ga.

Indian River Sheriff Tim Dobeck said William Reaves, 37, of Gifford in Indian River County, might have shot Deputy Richard Raczkoski because he didn't want to be returned to prison on charges of carrying a concealed weapon. Deputies who arrested Reaves in Georgia said he admitted to the shooting.

A gun fell out of Reaves' pants while he and the deputy talked early Tuesday morning in a convenience store parking lot west of Vero Beach, Dobeck said. The officer was shot three times in the back and once in the shoulder, officials said.

''We have taken a statement from him Reaves. We have found out that a very possible motive is he did not want to go back to prison and that's why the officer was shot,'' Dobeck said.

Indian River sheriff's officials returned Reaves to Florida Thursday aboard a plane that arrived in Vero Beach at 3:45 p.m.

He was being held in the Indian River County jail on charges of first- degree murder and is expected to have his first court appearance today.

The case is scheduled to go before an Indian River County grand jury Oct. 8, said Assistant State Attorney David Morgan. Morgan said prosecutors plan to seek first-degree murder charges and the death penalty for Reaves.

Reaves, who has a 20-year criminal record, is suspected of killing Raczkoski with a .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol, officials said.

The same type weapon was found on Reaves when he was arrested in Albany by Dougherty County deputies, Dobeck said. Reaves also had 5.2 ounces of crack cocaine, the sheriff said.

Indian River officials learned late Wednesday that Reaves boarded a bus at the Greyhound station in Melbourne and was en route to Albany. A teletype was sent to Dougherty County sheriff's officials saying the suspect was expected to arrive there at 11:30 p.m.

Two deputies and a narcotics agent were waiting for Reaves when the bus arrived. The narcotics agent followed a man fitting Reaves' description into a restroom at the bus station, said Doughtery sheriff's Capt. Tommy Williamson. Williamson said Reaves asked the agent where he could buy marijuana. The agent told Reaves he didn't know where he could get marijuana but knew where he could get crack cocaine, Williamson said.

Reaves then pulled out a pistol and a bag of cocaine, Williamson said. When the narcotics agent pulled out his gun, the two struggled and a shot was fired into the air, he said.

The agent was able to handcuff Reaves and took him outside to a patrol car. As officers were trying to put Reaves in the car, he got away and ran three blocks before he was captured, Williamson said.

Dougherty County officials charged Reaves with trafficking in cocaine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, assaulting an officer, resisting arrest, escape, carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a weapon without a license and giving a false name.

Reaves initially told officers his name was Randy Martin, Williamson said. Dobeck, two sheriff's investigators and Morgan, the assistant state attorney, flew to Albany early Thursday to get Reaves.

Dobeck said Raczkoski described Reaves as his assailant to another officer shortly before he died.

Raczkoski, who was hired in 1983, was sent to the Zippy Mart store at 3 a.m. Tuesday to investigate a phone call made to the county's 911 emergency system from a pay phone at the store.

When the emergency operator answered, there was no response, officials said. The call was traced to the convenience store pay phone where Raczkoski found Reaves.

Two men, who police say helped Reaves flee after the shooting, also were being held in the Indian River County jail Thursday. Jerry Lee Bryant, 25, of 4680 56th Ave., Vero Beach, and Ervin Eugene Hinton, 33, of 3820 44th Place, Gifford, were charged with being accessories to first-degree murder.

Officials said Hinton allowed Reaves to shower and change clothes at his home shortly after the shooting. Hinton also hid Reaves' clothes in a vacant lot, said Indian River Sheriff's Maj. Roy Raymond.

Raymond said Hinton led officials to the lot, where they recovered the clothing.

Deputies said Bryant drove Reaves to the Colonial Motel on U.S. 1 in Melbourne, but Reaves was gone when officers arrived there late Wednesday. Three phone calls -- two to the bus station and one to a cab company -- were placed from Reaves room, deputies said.

The suspect was on the bus for Albany when deputies arrived at the station, Raymond said.

Reaves was released from Zephyrhills Correctional Institution in April after serving time for selling cocaine.

Florida Department of Corrections officials said Reaves was released 30 days before his sentence expired through a program aimed at helping inmates return to society.

DOC Corrections officials had said earlier Reaves was released as part of a program set up to relieve prison crowding.

Funeral services for Raczkoski will be 10 a.m. today at St. Anastasia Catholic Church in Fort Pierce.